This review was first presented at the 2025 Fantastic Fest Film Festival. V/H/S/Halloween is set to premiere on Shudder in the United States on October 3rd.
It’s hard to believe the V/H/S horror anthology series has already reached its eighth installment! Even more astounding, AMC’s Shudder platform has unleashed five V/H/S sequels in just as many years. While such rapid production might suggest a drop in quality, last year’s V/H/S/Beyond actually stands out as my personal favorite in the entire franchise. These V/H/S anthologies have truly become an October tradition, and V/H/S/Halloween continues that festive spirit by drawing inspiration from classics like Trick ‘r Treat.
Of course, it’s not a perfect comparison; Trick ‘r Treat still reigns supreme among Halloween horror anthologies. This latest V/H/S offering features five distinct segments and a wraparound story, presenting a truly mixed bag of spooky, candy-coated delights. Each filmmaker uses “Halloween” as a jumping-off point, crafting their own terrifying tales from familiar festive settings. However, the flow between segments feels a bit disjointed this time, possibly because not every concept lands as effectively. Instead of a consistently engaging experience building momentum, V/H/S/Halloween sometimes has to regain its footing before we’re once again immersed in the gruesome fun of All Hallows’ Eve mischief.
Among the collection, Micheline Pitt-Norman and R.H. Norman’s “Home Haunt” is the undeniable standout, acting as V/H/S/Halloween’s explosive grand finale. It’s a heartfelt tribute to the homemade backyard haunted attractions we all know and love, but with a terrifyingly violent twist: a cursed record playing the “Song of Samhain” that animates seemingly innocuous decorations. The segment cleverly guides viewers through eerie dungeon corridors and into witchy cottages, where unsuspecting guests are brutally dispatched by these resurrected Halloween props – whether boiled alive or pulverized by monstrous executioners. This is a true “Pleasantville monster mash,” swapping corny jokes for deadly blows, and perfectly encapsulates what the V/H/S series excels at: imaginative concepts, visceral practical effects, and maximum creative effort despite minimal independent horror budgets.
Beyond its impressive climax, V/H/S/Halloween offers a diverse lineup of five segments and a quirky haunted soda wraparound. From whimsical candy mascots exacting justice on greedy trick-or-treaters to sinister, possessed rotary telephones, this collection of mini-flicks consistently aims for fresh ideas, and often hits the mark. Yet, some concepts occasionally drift away from a deep immersion in Halloween themes, using costume parties or merely the date October 31st as their primary connection. While the Halloween link is present, it’s fair to say V/H/S/Halloween delivers a thematic sugar rush that isn’t always sustained across every segment, and not all of them reach the high bar set by “Home Haunt.” In fact, some aren’t even in the same league.
V/H/S/Halloween promises a sugar rush of thematic immersion that doesn’t hold from segment to segment.
Casper Kelly’s “Fun Size” is exactly what you’d expect from the brilliant mind behind Adult Swim’s “Too Many Cooks” and “Adult Swim Yule Log.” The premise is brilliantly simple: snag more than one candy from the bowl, and you face death. The execution is wilder than you can imagine, with overly enthusiastic trick-or-treaters dragged into a candy bowl only to find themselves in a factory where rule-breakers are transformed into chocolatey confections. Kelly’s signature chaotic humor shines through, blending elements of a doomed romantic comedy into his sugary, deadly concoction. While some aspects are hit-or-miss, the frantic hunt-and-stalk sequences playfully recall the spoof Russian knockoff, “Five Nights Freddy: Secret of Mimic,” but with outrageous Captain Crunch cannons and Cosmic Brownie minions. This is the kind of fearless originality I crave from V/H/S: boundless creativity on a tight budget, delivered with absolute gusto.
However, while this “go for broke” approach can be a huge advantage, it doesn’t always guarantee a perfect landing. It’s almost inevitable for an anthology to have a few weaker links, as multiple segments take individual creative swings rather than following a single cohesive narrative. V/H/S/Halloween is no exception. Alex Ross Perry, known for “Her Smell,” contributes the darkest and most disturbing chapter, “Kidprint,” which, for me, was easily the least enjoyable. What begins like a bizarre sketch from Tim Robinson or Tim and Eric quickly morphs into a disturbing commentary on society’s failure to prevent child murders. Personally, this segment completely pulled me out of the Halloween spirit of V/H/S/Halloween. This highlights the inherent risk and reward of anthologies: every viewer will have their own unique highs and lows. And unfortunately, for my palate, “Kidprint” was a significant miss.
The remaining segments — Anna Zlokovic’s “Coochie Coochie Coo,” [REC] co-director Paco Plaza’s “Ut Supra Sic Infra,” and Bryan M. Ferguson’s wraparound, “Diet Phantasma” — each contribute to the anthology’s overall effect, with varying success. Zlokovic’s “Coochie Coochie Coo” delves into a bizarre blend of haunted houses and adult baby fetishes, introducing a genuinely unsettling creature dubbed “Mommy” that provides ample chills and thrills as two terrified girls try to escape a lactating monster. Plaza’s “Ut Supra Sic Infra” offers a more subdued possessed police procedural, but it delivers a deliciously grotesque finale involving bodily mutilation. Finally, “Diet Phantasma” presents a hilariously absurd horror-comedy about a poltergeist-infused carbonated drink that gleefully eliminates focus group participants.
Verdict
V/H/S/Halloween serves up an entertaining collection of holiday-themed horror shorts. While it might not quite surpass the heights of last year’s V/H/S/Beyond, it’s far from a disposable entry in the series. The central Halloween theme provides a compelling starting point for each segment, sparking immediate intrigue, even if not every filmmaker manages to secure a spot in the “V/H/S Hall of Fame.” Ultimately, it’s a typical anthology experience: some chapters are brilliant, some fall flat, and many hover in dependable, middle-ground territory. Think of it less like finding a razor blade in your favorite candy, and more like reaching for a brand-name treat and ending up with a generic drug store alternative – still sweet, but not quite the premium delight you hoped for.